Yard Gnomes
by 1SuperKawaii
Summary: Sarah gets entrapped by gnomes. Jareth and Hoggle come to her rescue.  Who will win the bet?


Hi this is my first completed Labyrinth fanfic. I have about a half dozen in the works of various sizes. This is the shortest but I managed to get a lot into the story. For entertainment only, please enjoy the story. No flames or spelling police.

...

One dark winter evening Sara was returning home from a date with a handsome male who had just recently came to the neighborhood. She had been dating him almost every day since he had come a month ago. He was of average height, blonde with brown eyes.

He reminded Sarah of someone she once dreamed about, a memory that she couldn't forget, a dream she dreamt over and over. His demeanor was very much the same as an underground king she once met and it attracted her greatly.

"Thanks Stone I had a wonderful evening." Sarah said.

"Anything for my lady Sarah." he said politely and kissed her hand then they parted.

Sarah entered her house and found her family in the kitchen. They gave her an inquisitive look when they greeted her.

"Hey dad, Aileen" Sarah greeted her parents in the kitchen.

"How did your date go? He looks like a very nice man." her step mom said.

"Fine. He's really sweet." she said happily.

"I don't want to talk about Sarah dating." her father said.

"You're awful honey." her step mom said sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Did you see Mrs. Bell's new lawn ornament yet?" her dad said with a chuckle changing the subject.

"Don't tell me she got another gnome?" Sarah asked amused.

"Yep and this one is the largest of all of them. She called him their king and calls him Albrich. Every month it's a new one." he shook his head.

"They're all one of a kind antiques she has flown over. I have to say they are a bit creepy. I always feel like they are watching me when I drive away." her step mom said with a shudder.

"Well you know I hear they come to life at night and turn to stone in the light. But now that she has a king, I bet he is the most powerful and can do lot's more. Why I bet he even likes to break into peoples homes and steal their wives." Sarah said.

"Sarah stop trying to scare your mom."

"Step mom and it's true. Everyone knows about lawn gnomes." she laughed.

"Oh before I forget a dog dug up my flower bed again. We need to put in a fence." Aileen said.

"I'll get to it. I need to go to the hardware store anyway. I seem to have misplaced the hose and the bottom of the car has a large scratch on it."

"It must be the gnomes. You should beware or they might get you." Sarah said laughing.

"Well then we should get some of our own to fight them off." he laughed.

"I saw something moving around the yard last night. I'm pretty sure there's a stray dog. We should leave some food out and try to catch him." Sarah said.

Sarah went to her bedroom and got ready for bed. But before she went to sleep she called on her friend Hoggle in the mirror of her vanity.

"Hey Hoggle."

"Hi Sarah, how have you been?"

"Pretty good, you?"

"Can't complain. His majesty's still in a bad mood since you left two years ago. But let's not talk about him."

"What was that? Hang on." she said getting up.

"Sarah is everything alright?"

"Yeah I thought I heard something outside. There's a dog running around the neighborhood destroying all of the neighbors yards."

"Better a dog then gnomes." he said.

"Gnomes? What's wrong with gnomes?"

"I thought you of all people would know."

"Tell me what's wrong with cute little lawn gnomes." she mocked him.

"Lawn gnomes! Those are the worst, they are. Cursed, because of their evil deeds. They can only come out at night. They turn to stone in the daylight and they don't much like artificial light either. They go around looking for people with particularly strong beliefs in beings like us and drain their energy, then when the poor sucker is drained they are turned into gnomes as well and live out their lives as slaves to that horrible king of theirs. If you thought Jareth was bad you ain't seen nothin' 'till you met him. You keep away from gnomes."

"I always thought they were nice creatures not like goblins."

"See how much you know. How many evil goblins have you met? You remember they were just under orders to attack us and the city has normal residents like anywhere."

"I guess I never thought about it that way. Come to think of it I remember seeing lot's of goblins hide in their houses when we were there."

"Yep they didn't want to get involved. Now you tell me right away if you see any gnomes." he said making the situation sound urgent.

"Well my neighbor did get some ornamental lawn ones. But I doubt they're real."

"Just keep an eye out anyway and call me if you need anything."

"Good night Hoggle." she said and went to sleep.

A few days passed and she went out with Stone again. He seemed really nice and his politeness set him apart from everyone else. He would have been a good enough match if she could just stop dreaming about someone else every night.

"Ah crap!" Sarah yelled when she tripped over a gnome.

"Try to be more careful you almost broke it!" Stone snapped.

"Geez sorry. Mrs. Bell's stupid lawn gnome. I wonder what it's doing over here? And why are you getting so upset?" she put her hands on her hips.

"Oh well Mrs. Bell is an old woman and she would be really unhappy if you broke one of these. They are worth quite a bit."

"Good point. I don't want to have to replace one. I swear she puts them in a different spot all of the time but I wish she would keep them on her own property. I almost broke my neck." Sarah said.

"You do not care for them? I'd say they were rather stately in their poses."

"It's the beards. She bought a new one too but I don't see him. She says he's the king of all of them. But I'm not one to judge someone's strange hobbies. I've seen odder things."

"So you do not believe in the king of the gnomes?"

"Until a few days ago when I spoke to a friend…..on the phone….he told me about the gnome king. I wasn't aware of him at all." she said interjecting on the phone because talking through a mirror would just sound too weird.

"Well then he told you how he and the other gnomes were cursed by an evil sorceress so they had to leave the underground and become stone lawn ornaments in the daylight."

"That's not exactly how he said it."

"Did he say we…they were evil? They are wrong they are not evil."

"But they are said to turn people into gnomes."

"How could he know that. I think the gnomes believe when they find someone they think worthy of joining their race they turn them into gnomes. Gnomes as you know are all male so I they must go in search of female mates."

"I don't think too many human women would be willing to turn into yard gnomes."

"The gnomes know what is best. I have something for you." he held out a rig with a brownish stone.

"It's lovely. I've never seen a stone like that before."

"It is painite. Only eighteen others like it have been unearthed by humans."

"How did you get such a rare stone?"

"I come from a family of miners. This one has been in our families possession for some time. I would like you to have it, please say you accept?" he asked and she put it on.

"Yes thank you. I'm feeling tired." she said feeling light headed.

"Of course you should go and rest, it is late."

"Good night."

The first thing she did when she got home was head right upstairs to her room. She ignored her family and shut the door. Feeling something was wrong and magic was somehow involved she contacted Hoggle.

"Hoggle are you there?"

"Hi Sarah you look tired." he said noticing the rings forming under her eyes.

"I feel tired."

"Where'd you get that! That's impossible, that is!" Hoggle yelled looking at her finger.

"What this? Stone gave it to me. Oh that noise outside again. It sounds like an army of little feet. It's been keeping me up. It almost sounds like voices."

"Sarah that stone take it off. Humans aint' supposed to have it."

"What are you talking about Hoggle?"

"Takes it off right away!"

"Why?….I'm trying…but…it …wont…budge." she struggled with the item.

"Oh this is bad."

"What's bad? Hoggle you're scaring me? What's wrong with this ring?"

"It's bad magic. Oh you've gone and done it now. He's going to kill me for not keeping you safe. Didn't I warn you against gnomes. You're going to be a gnomes slave if you don't get it off."

"I'm so tired." she said laying her head on her arms.

"Sarah? Sara! Wake up!"

"Hogg…" she fell asleep while saying his name.

"Sarah you have to wake up. Oh what do I do? Sarah you have to wish for him to come. Wish for his majesty to come, he's the only one who can help."

"Goblin king…"

"Sarah say it, say I wish the goblin king was here right now."

"I…I wish the goblin king was here right now. Good night Hoggle." she fell back to sleep on her vanity.

"Well Sarah it certainly took you long en….Sarah? Hogslane what is the meaning of this?" Jareth greeted.

"Check her finger. She needs help now."

"What have you done Sarah!" Jareth exclaimed.

"It's painite." Hoggle said.

"I know what it is Hoghead. The question is how did she get it."

"We was talking about lawn gnomes and she says something about hearing noises outside. Thought it was a dog."

"Gnomes, this is a problem. She will sleep for a while but will wake by tomorrow afternoon. But for how long I do not know. I want hourly updates." he carried her to her bed.

"Isn't there something you can do? You cant just leave her like this." Hoggle said fearfully.

"I'm going back to find out, she had to willingly enter into a covenant with a gnome by accepting this ring with a yes. This magic doesn't just look like that of any gnome either. I need some time to research things."

"You can't leave her."

"I'm sending a company of goblins to guard her. Stay with her for now."

" Goblin king…" Sarah mumbled.

"I'm here Sarah, don't worry I'll figure something out. Hogsons going to stay with you until I get back. Keep an eye on her, and if anything happens to her being bogged for eternity will be the least of your worries. Tell her not to try and take the ring off it will only make her feel worse." he disappeared.

"It's Hoggle." she mumbled.

"I'd never leave her. Don't worry Sarah if anyone can figure this out, he can." Hoggle patted her head.

The next day came and it was late afternoon when Sarah woke. She had another date planned with stone. When she woke it was not to an empty room, she saw Hoggle sleeping on a chair.

"Hoggle what are you doing here?"

"Don't ye remember? The ring is bad. We hads to call the king. He said not to try to take it off. He went back to figure out how to help you."

"What's wrong with the ring?"

"It's cursed by gnome magic. He's trying to save ye."

"Are you trying to tell me I'm going to become a gnome or something?"

"That's exactly what I'm sayin' but he wont let it happen so don't worry."

"I'm going out with Stone in a few hours I should get ready." she sat up like a zombie.

"Sarah you can't. He's bad if he gave ye the ring."

"I can not break our date. He would be upset. I must be with him. He needs me." she started to make herself up automatically.

"Sarah? Oh this is bad. Jareth better hurry."

A few hours had passed as she readied herself obsessively for her date. Hoggle had to find a way to stop her from going but every time he asked her to stay she refused. When he tried to tell her the man was bad she wouldn't listen.

"Hoggle what are you doing? Let me go!" she yelled as he tied her to a chair.

"Tis' for your own good. We have to wait for Jareth. You remember him? He's the one you told me you dream about every night. He's coming to see you so you have to stay."

"I don't care I have to go to Stone. He needs me." she struggled.

"Sarah you're under a spell." Jareth said appearing in front of her.

"No I love him. I have to be with him."

"Confounded girl!" Jareth said using a crystal to place a spell on her and she fell asleep.

"What did you do to her?" Hoggle asked.

"There is little I can do to counter gnome magic. But as long as I have her asleep he can not take her energy. Not much is known about the stone she wears besides it's great power. Another has placed his claim on her but my mark is already on her. This is now a territory issue."

"This sounds dangerous." Hoggle said.

"It is the only thing that can be done. The goblins have already reported that there are over fifty gnomes in the vicinity. When the sun sets I will have little choice but to duel for her."

"Ye have to win."

"I have no intention of losing."

Night fell and a magic war was about to begin in the yards of unsuspecting people. Jareth had put the neighborhood under a sleep spell and he waited inside of the Williams house. Finally the knock came and a human looking Jareth answered.

"Is Sarah ready? We have a date tonight. I am Stone and who might you be?" Stone asked suspiciously.

"You do not recognize me…Stone is it, now? Somehow it fits." Jareth said looking his normal self.

"You! What are you doing here?"

"You put a claim on my property and naturally I came to reclaim what is mine." Jareth said.

"The girl does not belong to you. I placed the ring on her. She said yes and accepted it."

"Albrech you see the girl has been mine since the day she was born. You know the laws."

"I will not give her up. I intend on making her my queen."

"I am well aware of what that ring means. You will make her your mate and drain her. I have given her some of my powers as well and I'll not give her or them up, especially not to a lawn ornament." Jareth said.

"Why you..!" Stone exclaimed getting his magic ready for attack.

Flashes of light and beams of magic shot back and forth into the night. Neither were able to do much damage to the other and the battle was becoming pointless.

"It seems we are equally matched. We will have to find another way to settle this. Winner take all. I know you can't turn down a challenge goblin king." Albrech said.

"Why do we not let her choose?" Jareth said.

I am sure she loves me and after a bit of explaining she will chose her fate with me."

"You do not know my Sarah very well." Jareth said.

"Everyone knows how she turned you down so I think I know her better then you."

"Really, if you know so much about her then which of us does she dream about every night?" Jareth said with a smirk.

"You lie. She only fears you."

"Fear and love are very closely connected. I should even thank you for giving her a reason to wish for me to return."

"Nothing will make me let her go. I need her." Albrech said.

"A wager then, we shall let the magic choose. If it is you then I shall relinquish my claim on her, if it is, and it will be me, she is mine and you will be sent far away never to contact my Sarah again."

"I want something else if you lose goblin king." Albrech paused.

"Hurry up. What is it?" Jareth said anxiously.

"I want the medallion you wear. I want the goblin magic."

"Agreed." Jareth said without a second thought.

"What magic will we use?"

Jareth held out a crystal ball. It turned into an apple in his hand.

"The sleepers curse, and they say I am evil. You do realize that if neither of us can wake her she may remain that way for the rest of her life. Are you so confident?" Albrech said.

"You may just hand her over now and we can be done with this." Jareth tried once more to end the situation.

"No I will go through with it. I want what I have come here for, as my queen I can feed from her for years. She's such a strong believer." Albrech said.

"Then I shall wake her and explain her options. You will give us a moment." Jareth said entering Sarah's room.

"Did you figure something out?" Hoggle asked.

"Yes Hogshun. But she may not like her options. Sarah, Sarah wake up."

"Jareth?" she said too tired to be scared or start an argument.

"Yes Sarah. The one you call Stone is Albrech and he has removed his magic for the time being so you are no longer a slave to him. I must explain that when you took that ring you gave up your freedom and will become a host to him. He will feed from you until you grow old and die."

"What no that's impossible." she said.

"Sarah I know you are smarter then that. I have bargained an option for you."

"It's an apple." she said.

"Obviously and as you may remember the story from your fairytales, I guarantee you that it was once a true story. True loves kiss will be the only thing that will release you. I must warn you that if it is neither of us, you may remain in a comatose state for the rest of your life. The only other option will be to go with him or possibly remain in a frozen state until a court can decide whose claim on you is stronger and I must say underground courts can take decades."

"Sarah we're trying to help you." Hoggle said.

"But what if you win. I'll just be enslaved to you instead." she said.

"Sarah I have waited for the day for you to be as enslaved to me as I am to you. If I win you may do as you please. I'll only ask that you be willing to befriend me and not see me as the villain. I'm giving you a choice."

"But if it's not either of you…are you so sure you can wake me?"

"Of that I am certain. I have staked my kingdom on the outcome. Will you trust me just this once? It will buy me some time to try to take care of that ring. I need to get it in my power." Jareth asked.

"Hoggle what should I do?" she turned to the dwarf.

"Ye don't have much of a choice. Ye have to decide how ye feels about Jareth."

"I'll do it then. You better be right." she agreed and he held out the apple.

"I've never been so certain about anything else. Just one bite. Bring Albrech in so there is no question." Jareth said as Albrech entered.

Sarah took a bite out of the apple and Jareth and Albrech were no longer in the room. They both found themselves in the distance.

"What have you done goblin king?" Albrech demanded.

"You did make a magical pact with me, and it was my apple. Did you think I would allow things to be so easy? Just a kiss, really? I would not allow anyone to kiss my Sarah without passing a test."

"Goblin king what are you up to?"

"You do not know? Then let me explain. The ring on her finger is the one that turned you to stone in the first place. Your grandmothers curse on your grandfather and his people for his betrayal. I am proposing a second contest as well. If you win I will free you from becoming stone and you may return to your underground dwellings and no longer be humans lawn ornaments. If I win however, I want the ring."

"Never it's powers with your own will make you unstoppable."

"Yes but you will have your lands back and your freedom. Should we ask your people what they want to do?"

"I agree." he said hesitantly.

"Good then Sarah is there at the center of my labyrinth. I know what you are thinking and do not worry the use of magic will forfeit the contest to the other. It conforms to the personality of the person there. There will be at least one test. The first one to arrive will also get to kiss the girl first. I'll even make it easier, it is only a quarter of the size of the one she had to go through and the labyrinth is wide open. Do go first." Jareth said.

Albrech hesitantly went into the labyrinth and found that the walls were in a serpentine shape for him. He passed many winding dirt roads and finally came to a garden where he stood looking at hundreds of grey stone statues of gnomes. He became angered as none of them would move even though it was night.

"Do you think you deserve to be free of my curse?" a woman said.

"Grandmother! You are a fey! That is why you could curse us."

"Yes did you not know? Your grandfather was as bad spirited as you. He thought I was human and could feed off of me. He chose the wrong person to fool."

"You're not really here."

"Doe's it matter?" she blew up a statue.

"No stop!" Albrech panicked.

"Will you really try to save them?"

"That's why I agreed to be here."

"But you can't stop me. You'll have to stay here with me forever."

"This is all an illusion. Nothing here is real. I just have to find the door out." he felt around while she taunted him and shattered statue after statue.

Finally he found his way out and did his best to leave the vision behind him. He pushed on and continued through the smaller version of the labyrinth.

Jareth on the other hand had only used the labyrinth as a means to make another wager. He had decided the stone on her finger was too dangerous and powerful to let slip away. The labyrinth was difficult to get through without magic and even though just a small version of the one that surrounded his castle it was still unforgiving in how it tried to delay the runner.

"Jareth, I'm so glad you came to the party." said Sarah who was dressed in deep crimson and laying over a chaise lounge.

"Sarah? What are you doing here? You are under a magic sleep." he reasoned.

"No Jareth I'm right here. Stay with me here. We can be happy, always. Everything you want is right here." she began kissing him and he kissed her back.

"It's not you. You're not really here."

"I'm right here Jareth, my love. Kiss me, we can be together always, that's what you want isn't it? I want to give myself to you." she said placing him in a trance.

"Yes Sarah this is what I….As tempting as that is love, please forgive me." he said punching her and she turned into a small goblin and he continued on his way.

Albrech had a gnomes instincts for mazes and was easily getting through after he left the garden of the stone gnomes. As the entire maze was only a ruse for Jareth to win yet again there weren't too many traps involved.

Both had come to the end but Jareth underestimated Albrech and they reached the center at the same time.

"We both won how can that be? Who will we decide who goes first?" Albrech asked.

"Please be my guest." Jareth said.

They went back into Sarah's room and Jareth allowed Albrech to kiss her. It angered him to watch it but he knew it was for the best. Albrech kissed her and nothing happened.

"Well then I do believe you are to remove your magic from her for good." Jareth said.

"Only if she wakes from your kiss. If she doesn't I'm leaving my magic on her and I will continue to feed off of her. We never planned differently."

"Fine then." Jareth said and placed his lips on hers. Her eyes fluttered opened and she blushed as his lips stayed on hers longer then necessary.

"Jareth…is it over?" Sarah asked.

"Yes my love it is. Now for your end of the bargain." he turned to the gnome king.

"It is removed. What about my ring?"

"Do you remember our other wager?"

"We both made it at the same time."

"Yes which means we both lost and won. We are both bound by the agreement. You shall have your freedom from the ring, and your lands, the ring will belong to me to do with as I please."

"I am bound to comply by magic. The ring will obey you. You tricked me."

"You got what you really wanted didn't you? Well then it is done." Jareth said.

"Were free! We can go home!" Albrech yelled excitedly.

"Yes, yes now go." Jareth tried to wave him off.

"But we can not go home without the magic to do so. You tricked us." Albrech said.

"Consider it a good faith parting gift." Jareth said waving his hand and all the gnomes all over the world mysteriously disappeared.

"What have you done you rat? You only took over the enslavement spell on Sarah." Hoggle argued.

"What do you mean? Jareth you promised. I should have known." Sarah said.

"Now no jumping to conclusions. The magic on your finger was too powerful to let go. He got what he really wanted …and so did I. You are no longer bound by it but I give it to you. Consider it an engagement present."

"Engagement present!" she and Hoggle yelled at the same time.

"Yes you will need magic of your own if you are to spend forever with me."

"What! I barely know you."

"Really? We meet every night. You would prefer a proper courting?"

"At least." she said.

"I know how about a wager?" he asked.

"No." she said resolutely.

"Just a little game." he persuaded.

"No."

"Now stop being so difficult. I did win you your freedom from the gnomes."

"I agree to a courting and that is all goblin king." she said sternly.

"Oh so formal. You do not know how you hurt me." he joked.

"Your infuriating."

"Yes but you dream of me none the less." he said with a smile.


End file.
